Inking system for printing machines



Dec. 14, 1948. E, J, JANKE 2,456,282

INKING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 27, 1945 4 She'ets-Shefl 1 'INVENTOR. Z'QWA E0 J JANHE D612. 14, 1948. JANKE INKING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING MACHINE-S 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 27, 1945 INVENTOR.

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gnaw-21% flrromlefl Patented Dec. 14, 1948 INKING SYSTEM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Edward J. Janke..Cleveland, Ohio, .assignor to Addressograph-Multigraph Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application June 27, 1945,Serial No. 601,820

This invention relates to aprinting system for printing machines, wherein there is both a normal ink supply and applying means for thesame, and a supplemental means which may apply inkifrom a different source to the same printing surface. Such supplemental application is very useful, for instance, in printing a portion of a form in a different color from that supplied in the normal inking, or for short'runs where it is desired to avoid the necessity of working up the ink on the regular system.

It is an object of the invention to provide a supplementalsystem in a very simple form which may be placed in operative condition to ink the printing surface without disturbing the adjustments of the normal system. Another object is to provide the supplemental system with a geardriven form roll and means for readily substituting such roll in place of one of the normal frictionally driven form rolls.

Another object of the invention is to enablethe use of the same shaft and bearings therefor of one of the friction-driven form rolls for carrying the gear-driven form roll while providing means for'holding such sha'ftand bearings in a different position from their normal portion. In this connection it is a further object to provide means for preventing the mounting of the gear-driven form roll in anyposition where its gear would mesh with oppositely moving gears of the machine.

My invention is hereinafter more fully explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, which illustrates a printing drum,normal inkapplying means therefor and my supplemental ink-applying means.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a side elevation of a completeoffset printing machine, the "mechanism being set for normal printing operation; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevation on an enlarged scale of a portion of the mechanism, a side cover having been removed to illustrate 'more clearly the internal mechanism; Fig. 3 is an elevation similar to Fig. 2. but with the normal inking mechanism thrown out of operation and a supplemental inking mechanism applied tothe machine; Fi s. 4 and 5 are fragmentary plan views partially in section of that-portion of the mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and'3 respectively; Figs-6 and 'I are vertical sections taken through the correspondin numbered lines on Figs. 4 and-5; Fig. 8 is a sectionalview illustrating the gearing mechanism. the plane of the section beingindicated by the line 8-3 on Fig. 5, in this viewghowever, the form roll in the supplemental inking mechanism is in the'process of being inserted; Fig. -9 is an 29 Claims. (Cl. 101-3'52) axial section through the rolls, the plane of the section being indicated by the lines 99 on Fig. '7, this view however'showing the gear-driven form roll substituted for one of the normal friction-driven'i'form rolls; Fig. 10 is a sectional detail, the plane of the section being indicated by the line |0l fi in -Fig. 9; and Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating the relative positions of the axes of the form rollsunder various positions relativeito the printing drum.

Fig. 1 illustrates by way of example a main frame! 0, a supplementalframe I l pivoted thereto at 12 and connected nearthe upper edge by links !3 controlled by an eccentric shaft 14. Mounted in the supplemental frame isthe printing drum l5 carrying a master sheet orother printing form, and in the main frame is an off set drum l6 coacting'therewith, and a platen l1 coacting-with the offset drum. The operation of the eccentricishaft serves to separate'the master drum'from the offset drum when the machine'is idle. The machine thusoutlined may, for instance, be of the :form shown in Patent No. 1.968349, issued August 7, 1934, to 'Multigraph Company as assignee of L. H. Morse. It is illustratedin Fig. l merely for the purpose of completeness, as myinvention is not concerned with the details thereof and may be used with any printing'drum, intended-to'be illustrated by the drum l5.

Fig. 1 illustrates aninking system which may be employed in my invention. As there shown, 20 indicates an inking fountain; 2! a ductor roll; 22 a distributor roll with which may be associated various rolls to work up the ink, and 23 and 24 a pair of form rolls coacting with the oscillating distributing roll and also with the plate on the master drum. My invention is concerned directly only with the oscillating distributor '22, the two .form rolls 23 and '24, and the drum l5 suitably carrying a plate indicated at A in Figs. 6 and 7.

I will describe first the normal application of ink from the oscillating distributor 22 to the two form rolls 23 and 24 and thence to the plate. The distributor 22 is mounted on a suitable shaft '25 stationarily held inoperation and carryinginternal mechanism, not shown but well understood. for causing the roll to oscillate axially as t rotates. The roll is provided with a wide gear 26 meshing-with an idler 21 which meshes with a gear 28 on the drum IS. The distributor is therefore positively driven by the rotation of the printing drum. Two form rolls 23 and 24 obtain theirrotationby'frictional contact with the distributor roll, and supply ink from thence to the printing plate A, with which they contact during the printing operation.

The two form rolls 23 and 24 are rotatably mounted on shafts 3i) and 3| respectively, which are journaled in bearings carried respectively by shiftable brackets 32 and 33. These brackets are pivoted at 35 'and'33 (Fig. 2) to the frame H and are constrained toward each other by tension springs 31 attached to both brackets. The brackets at their inner edges abut a cam 40, which in the position shown-in Fig. 2 allows the form rollersto engage the distributor and printing plate and in the position shown in Fig. 3 holds the form rolls out of contact with both'the dis tributor and the plate. The cam 40 and the corresponding cam at the other side of the machine, which operates the brackets corresponding to 32 and 33, are nounted on a shaft 4| journaled in the frame I l and carrying a suitable operating lever 42.

' The manner in which the form rolls are supported in their'respective brackets is the same for each form roll, and hence the description of one will suffice. The shaft 3|, which in the normal inking system carries the form roll 24, is mounted in bearings provided by the bracket 33 at what may be called the front side of the machine and a corresponding bracket 33a similarly formed and carried at the rear side of the machine. The mounting of the shaft in the brackets is eccentric and the shaft is provided with a hand lever 45 whereby it may be turned to change the presentation of the form roll. The shaft 30 is similarly mountedin the bracket 32 and its mate at the other end'of the shaftiand is provided with a similar hand lever 46. r

The shafts 30 and 3| being mounted in their respective brackets in an identical manner, I will describe only the mounting of the shaft 3| as shown in Fig. 9. The shaft 3| at its rear end has a reduced eccentrically placed portion 33 which occupies aneccentric bore in a bushing 50 locked to the bracket 33:: by'a set screw The purpose of making the bore of the bushing 50 cccentric is merely to provide an aligning adjust ment so that when the parts are installed the axis of the shaft may be truly parallel to the drum axis. After once being aligned the locking by the set screw 5| is not disturbed.

Near its front end, the shaft 3| has an eccentric enlargement 39 which is journaled in a sleevelike portion of the'bracket 33. Beyond the en'- largement in a concentrically reduced'portion the shaft is surrounded by azsl'eeve- 55 which is clampedto the shaft by a set screw 56. As shown in Fig. 9, the hub of the lever 45 extends over the sleeve 55 and the same set screw 56 clamps it to the sleeve and shaft. 1"

The sleeve 55 is provided with two depressions 51 and 58, Fig. 10, with which a spring-pressed detent carried by the bracket 33 may coact. Such detent may be in the form of a ballpressed by a spring mounted in a cavity in the bracket and backed by a threaded plug as indicated at 59 in Fig. 9. The detent and the depressions 51 and 58 hold the shaft against accidental displacement and serve to indicate to the operator the position as heswings the lever to turn the shaft. The

depressions are preferably 90 apart and one of them may hold the shaftagainst accidental displacement with the shaft in position where the form roller is free from the form, while the other holdsitin position with the form roller in engagement with the form.. Accordingly, the swingill ing of the hand lever 45 may readily position the roller idly or actively as desired.

To change the amount of pressure of the roller on the form, it is only necessary to change the position of the shaft 3| with reference to the sleeve 55 with which the detent coacts. Such change is effected by loosening the set screw 56 sufficiently only to free the shaft and then turning the shaft in the sleeve, such turning being readily effected by the application of a screw driver to a diametric notch 3|a in the end of the shaft. Since the screw 55 passes through holes in the sleeve and lever which must register, the lever always maintains the same position with reference to the sleeve and detent though its position with reference to the shaft may be varied.

To hold the shaft 3| normally in position, while allowing it to be readily withdrawn to change the form rollers, I provide the locking feature shown in Figs. 9 and 10. This comprises a collar or flange 50 formed integrally on the sleeve 55 and engaged by the head of a screw 3| passing into the bracket 33. A suitable notch 62 is made in the flange, this notch being out of registration with the screw at either the off or on position of the shaft determined by the detent notches 51 and 58.

To remove the shaft 3| it is only necessary to turn the sleeve and shaft by'the lever 45 beyond the normal "off position sufficient to bring the notch 62 into registration with the head of the screw 6|. Then the shaft with the sleeve 55 and lever 45 may bedrawn entirely out of the machine, thus freeing the form roller.

As already mentioned, the construction for supporting the shaft 33 and operating it to shift the form roller 23, is the same as that above described for the shaft 3| and the form roller 24.

)It will be seen that the mechanism provides for an original alignment of the axes of the shafts to make them parallel to the axis of the drum; for changing the angular'relation of the shafts to their holding detents and operating levers to change the pressure'on the printingplate; for turning each shaft by its lever to shift the form roller into and out of contact with the distributing roll and printing plate. Finally there are means for spreading the two brackets which carry the form roll shafts to separate both of them from the distributor and printing plate. This last mentioned separation is that ordinarily performed at the .end of a run when it is intended that the machine should stand idle for some time,'as over night for instance, and it is desired to maintain the form rollers out of contact with any cooperating members.

In my invention, in behalf of the greatest simplicity, I propose to substitute for the form roll 24 a gear-driven form roll and to supply such r011 directly from ink manually applied to a supplemental distributing roll. Now as the new form roll must have the'pitch circle of its gear align ing "with the ink-applying periphery, such gear, if the new form roll were in the same position as the normal form roll, would mesh with both the printing drum ear and the distributor gear and might collide with the idler connecting those gears. I find I can avoid this difficulty, and still utilize the same shaft and bearings, by providing means to hold the bearings in a different position from the position they have in the normal inking application, and this is one of the features of my invention.

In Figs. 5, 7 and 9, I show a form roll 19 carrying a gear "ll having its pitch circle the same as :the periphery of the :roll. -and Iwshow this roll in Fig. 9. mounted on the shaft-.31 andawith the gear 11 meshing withthegear 28 onzthe printingdrum; l5. The .shaftis; mountedthesamezas heretoioredescribedin the brackets 3.3:and 33a, but the position of those brackets is different from heirnormal position, soithat the shaft is located upward of its normal osition, 1 and: thusrthe roll .10 wh-i1e.:in;coaction withthe"printingwplateis .so=.'-1ocated;tl1at its gear. while meshin with {the gearit, entirely clears the idler 427 and the dis'- tribut-ing roller gear 26, I as: shown :in -;F.ig.. -7.

The means for holding'the brackets 33 and 133a in the new position mentioned comprise a pairof :holding brackets 80 and 8] which are pivoted as at 8.6:t0 the frame I I. These brackets normally extend upwardly-into idlezposition .as indicated inFigs, 6 and 8. They, have outwardly extending pins 3 and .84 which extend overthe frame so that the :bracketsmaynormal-ly stand by gravity in the upwardly extend-ingposition shown.

When it is desired to mount the gear-driven form :roll 10, the shaft 31 and roll "24 having been withdrawn, the brackets '80 and -81 are swung down, asindicated by arrow in'Fig. -8. The bracket8l has-an opening 85 large'enough to em-brace the-bushing 50, and thatbracket is swung down in front of that bushing andthen shifted outwardly over the bushing,-;-thus1hold- ,i-ng the-bushingcin .an .elevatedposition determined conjointly by the coacting brackets 33a andfil.

Now when the gear driven rollersis put-in place and the shaft returned, the shaft is passed through the bracket .33 sandwthence through the opening inthe bracket 80 and through the geardriven roller into the bushingiifi of the bracket 533a. The bracket 80 holds theshaft at that end in its new-position with-the bearing inalignment with the bearing at the other end. :It results irom the above outlined manner of repositioning the :shaft bearings that the geardriven form roller has its axisrdefinitely held by its normal bearings :and thenormal brackets at the normal radial distance from the :periphery of thedrumbut shifted arcuatelyaway from-rthe normal gear train, as shown :in .Fig. "7.

:The relative positions of the friction-driven .form roll 24 and-thepositionof the'gear-driven form roll 70 .is illustrated in-thecdiagram, Fig. .11. The friction-drivenform roller :24when in its active position coasting with the-plate on :the

drum i5, is indicated-by-the broken line circle designated 24, the axis of the rollerbeing at 24a,

this being the condition when the cam All .is in the position shown in Fig. '2. The position of :the gear-driven form roller is indicated in the diagram by the circle designated ill with itsaxis at c. In this diagram X indicates the pivot of the brackets .33 and 33a carryingone roller or-the other, and x .r the arc through-which those brackets may carry theform :roller axes.

Now as the a:-w arc is swung about ashorter radius than .the'radius from eitheriform roller axisto axis of the drum, it follows that-theswingingiof the shaft ,3! upwardly from itsnormal active position 24a toithepositionz (where'ithe axis of the shaft aligns with thebracketpivot and the drum axis) moves the :ffriction-driven -f0rm roller away-from the drum, and then-the swinging of the shaft farther upwardly fromzthe same distance into the position 10a (where ,it

is retained by the brackets 80, 8|) causes the gearedrivenio m roller 10 .tozassume substan- 6 tiallytthe same contact; relationship to the drum, but infan opposite direction from the intermediate ofi positiomas thefrictiomdrivenform roller. had when. active.

In other words, the brackets :80, 8| areso dimensioned that: they hold the gear-drivenform roller axis the same distance above the ,zero positionof the brackets .33, 33a,-as the axis of the friction-driven form qroller when active is below such zero position, as allowed the cam40 when in the position of Fig. 2. Accordingly, the friction-driven form roller and gear-driven form roller when they are active,;have the same presentation to the drum under the control of the hand lever 45, and the same eccentricity is availableto changetheprinting pressure for each of them.

I find it'convenient to pivot the two brackets and Bi bymounting them on a cross rod 86 carried by the frame. As I desire to shift the bracket Bl axially tobring its eye portion down in front of the bushing 50 and then carry it toward the frame plate so as to pass over the bushing (instead of disturbing the adjustment by withdrawing the bushing and restoring it) I make the bracket shiftable axially on therod '86. I effect this by reducing the diameter of the shaft for a short distance, as shown. at 81. Ordinarily the bracket extends upwardly closely adjacent to the vertical frame plate. However, the pin Skisiongenough so that the bracket will still remain in the upright position if shifted, as faras allowed by the reduced portion of the rod86. When it has been shifted and swung down it is in position to pass in front o'f the bushing 50 and then may be shifted outwardly over that bushing without disturbing the bushing.

The ink is supplied to the gear-driven form roll 10 by a special distributor roll '90, Figs. 3, 5, '7 and 9. Thisroller is-mounted on'a stationary shaft M which carries internally of the roller means to cause the roller to reciprocate-axially as itisrotated. As shown, the shaft 9| carries the well-known right and left hand thread grooves on a collar 92 with which a pin93 in the hubof the roller coacts. The shaft may have its end portions secured to suitable rectangular blocks .93, .94 which may be mounted in slots in the two frame members II, one of such slots :being indicated at-95 in Fig, .6.

In behalf of simplicity, I prefer'to provide no 'fountainor ductor or-work-up rollers-for supplying the-supplemental distributor 90, the'required operation being merely to smear-the samewith ink :by a suitable knife. I have found this quite sufficient for the occasional printing .of headings or the occasional-filling in ofmatter in a different collar on sheets, the body of which-was printed by the regular inking system. It is to be understood, however, that if desired an inking fountain and ductor and rolls to work up the ink, similar to that indicated in Fig. 1 for the regular inking system, could be employed to supply ink to the supplemental distributing roll.

To insure against inadvertent mounting of the gear-driven form roller without re-positi0ning the brackets in position for the shaft to pass through them, I provide a pin 88 on thebracket 8!. This pin is normally idle, but if an attempt were made to insert the gear-driven form roller :into position while the'br-acket is elevated, this could not bedone as the gear would strike the pin .andthe roller could not be put'into position. :If the-roller. be moved toward position axially the faceof thegear will hit theend-of the pin. Nor

can' the roller be shoved in radially, for there is not -room for the gear to pass between the pin and the distributor gear, as shown in Fig. 8. It is only when the bracket 8! has been turned down into position to receive the shaft that the pin is retained out of the way (indicated in Fig. '7) where it cannot be abutted by the gear.

It will be seen from the description g'drven that I have provided, in a comparatively simple manner, means for enabling a printing machine to print when desired in another color without disturbing the regular inking system. This same means is available for printing short runs in any colorwithout taking the time to work up the ink by the regular inking system and covering of the rolls thereof with ink which might otherwise have to be cleaned after a very minor use. The change from normal inking to the supplemental inking is very readily effected without disturbing the aligning or pressure adjustments. By gearing the substitute form roll to the drum I am able to drive the distributor merely by its frictional engagement with the gear-driven form roll, thus contributing to the simplicity of the substitute inking.

I claim:

'1. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum, bearings adapted to carry aform roller in coaction with the drum, means for bolding said bearings in either of two active positions, wherebya form roller mounted in the bearings with the bearings in one position may coact with the drum and a form roller mounted in the bearings in their other active position may coact with the drum.

2. In a printingmachine, the combination of a rotary drum, shiftably mounted bearings, adapted. to carry an inking form roller in coaction with the drum, resilient means acting on the bearings'to hold them in one active position, and other means acting on the bearings to hold them in another active position.

'3. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum, bearings adapted to carry a form roller in'coaction with the drum, means for holding said bearings in either of two active positions, an ink-supplying roller in position to enact with a form roller when in one of the active positions, and means for carrying a second ink-supplying roller adapted to'coact with a form roller when in the other active position.

4. The combination of a drum adapted to carry a printing image, a train of inking rolls for supplying ink thereto including a friction-driven .iorm roll adapted to contact with the printing plate, and means for positioning and connectin a gear-driven form roll in place of said frictiondriven form. roll and out of contact with the normal inking system, and means for supplying ink to the said gear-driven form roll.

5. The combination of a printing drum having a gear with its pitch circle corresponding to the periphery of a plate on the drum, 2. normal inking system having a friction-driven form roll adapted to engage said plate independently of said gear, another form roll having a gear meshing with the gear on the drum, means for supplying ink to the latter form roll, and means for rendering the normal inking system idle.

6. The combination of a printing drum having a gear with its pitch'circle corresponding to the periphery of-a plate on the drum, a normal inking system having a distributor roll gear-driven by saidgear on the drum and a friction-driven formvroll adapted to coact with said distributor 81 roll andwiththe printing plate, another form roll having a gear meshing with the-gear on the drum, another distributor roll rotated by frictional contact with the gear-driven form roll, and means for rendering the normal printing system-idle.

7. The combination of a printing drum, a'normal inkingsystem therefor inc uding a frictiondriven inking form roll adapted to coact with a plate on the drum, another form roll gear-driven to have the same peripheral speed as the plate on the drum a distributor roll coacting with the latter form rollto supply ink thereto, said latter mentioned distributing roll being removably mounted and being self-reciprocating as it rotates, its rotation being by frictional contact with the gear-driven form roll.

8. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, a normal inking system having a friction-driven form roll adapted to engage said plate, a gear rotatable with the drum, another form roll having a gear-driven by the gear on the drum and a self-reciprocating distributor roll and rotated by frlctiona contact therewith, whereby the plate may be inked from an ink supply'on said distributor roll. and means whereby either of said inking systems may be rendered idle when the other'is active.

9. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, an inking system therefor including a frictiondriven form roll adapted to engage the plate, a movable support in which such form roll is mounted, a' gear rotating with said drum, means for mounting a form roll having a gear in the same support which normally carries the frictiondriven form roll, and means for holding said support in a different position from that which it occupies when carrying the friction-driven form roll in its active position, which different position enables the gear on the gear-driven form roll to mesh with the gear rotating with the drum.

1'0'. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, an inking system therefor including a form roll adapted to engage the plate, a pair of movable brackets in which the form roll is mounted, means for mounting a geared form roll in the same'brackets which normally carry the friction-driven form roll, and means for holding said brackets in different position from that which they occupy when carrying the friction-driven form roll in its active position, which different position enables the gear on the gear-driven form roll to mesh with a driving gear, and a reciprocating distributor roll'removably mounted and when in position adapted to contact frictionally with said gear-driven form roll when the latter is in position engaging the printing plate.

11. In a printing machine, the combination of a drum adapted to carry a printing plate and equipped with a gear rotatable with the drum, an inking'system including a form roll adapted toengage the plate on the drum, a distributing roll adapted to engage the form roll, gearing between the distributor'roll and the gear on the drum, said form roll being driven irictionally by contact with the distributor roll and the drum, a pair of movable brackets carrying the form roll, means for swinging said brackets to engage or disengage the form roll with the distributing roll and plate, means for mounting a geared form roll in the same brackets with its gear meshing with the gear on the drum, and means for QASQQSQ holding the brackets in such position that the gearrdriven form roll carried thereby will have its gear out of range of the gear on the distributor roll.

12. In a printing machine, the combination with a drum adapted to carry a printing plate, a pair of brackets movably mounted, a shaft removably carried by the brackets, a form roll adapted to be carried by the shaft and :be frictionally driven in engagement with the plate on the drum, said brackets being adapted to carry a second form roll provided with a gear adapted to be mounted on the same-shaft when the brackets are in a different position from that men.- tioned, and a gear meshing with the gear on the substituted form roll for positively driving said roll.

13. The combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, a form roll, means for pivotally mounting said form roll to swing'ab'out an axis spaced from the axis of the roll, means for swinging the roll about said pivotal axis in one direction to cause the roll to coact with the plate and be frictionally driven thereby, said pivotal mounting being adapted to carry asecond form roll adapted to be seatedagainst the plate by swinging of the mounting in the opposite direction from that first described, and means for positively driving the second form roll.

14. In a printing machine,-the combination of aprinting drum adapted to carry a printing form, an inking system therefor including a form roll, a shaft on which the form roll is removably mounted, a pivotal mounting for said shaft adapted to be swung from active to idle position, means for positioning a second form roll having a gear in said shaft in the same mounting, and a pair of retaining devices carried by the frame of the machine and adapted to hold the pivotal mounting for the shaft in a new position with the gear on the new form roll in engagement with a driver and out of engagement with the normal inking system.

15. In a printing machine, the combination of a drum adapted to carry a printing form and having a gear, an inking system therefor geared with the drum and having a friction-driven form roll, a pair of pivotally mounted brackets each carrying a bearing for a shaft, a shaft mounted in said bearings and adapted to carry either the friction-driven or a gear-driven form roll, and a pair of retaining devices adaptedto hold said backets in a position where the bearings will support the shaft in such position that the geared form roll mounted on the shaft may have its gear mesh with the gear on the drum and be out of contact with any gear on the normal inking system.

16. The combination of ,a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a printing form, an inking system therefor including a form roll adapted to engage the form, means for supporting and driving a gear-driven form roll substituted for the Mi ond form roll -having a" gear for the frictiondni ven form roll in the samebearings but in a shifted position, and means to prevent the mount ing .of a ge'aredform roll in a position where its gear mightcontact with the gear on the distributor roll of the normal ink supply.

18. The combination ,of a rotary printing drum adapted to carry a printing form, an inking system therefor including a form roll adapted to engage-the form, means for supporting a gear, driven form roll substituted for the form roll firstrmentiened, said supporting means comprising pivoted brackets carrying bearings for a shaft which may carry either form roll, and a pair of retaining devices adapted to hold said brackets in an abnormal position with the gearon the Jgearwl riven roll meshing with a driving gear, and apin ;on "one .of the retaining devices adapted to project into the region tobe occupied by the geared roll except when that retaining ,device is in position to cause the gear on the latter form roll to clear the normal ink supplying system.

19. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary printing drum, bearings adapted to carry a form roller in coaction with the drum, means forwholding sai'd bearings in either of two active positions with an idle position between .th'e'm, whereby a form roller mounted in the hearings may coact in one position with the drum and .a substituted form roller mounted in the same bearingsmay coac.t inanother position with thexdrum, springs acting on the bearings tending .to hold them in the first-men.- :tioned active position, mechanism for moving the bearings from such active position to an idle position, and means to hold the hearings in the secondactive position where the. form roller carried .tl'iereby may coact with the drum.

20. The'combination .of a printing a gear-"driven inking system therefor including a friction-driven form roll adapted to engage the form on the drum and engage an ink supply, ,a shaft carrying the form roll, bearings for ,opposite end portions of the shaft, pivoted brackets carrying said bearings, the shaft being eccentri'caliy mounted in the bearings and provided on one'end with a hand lever to enable the form rollto vbe-changed from active to inactive'position', a manually :c'ontrolled device to shift the. brackets asa unit to carry the form roller into and out of contact with its supply roller; said shaft being adapted to be withdrawn "from its bearings, and means co'aoting with the brackets, bearings and shaft to hold them in an abnormal position where the shaft may carry a second for-m roller having a gear on one end thereof withthe gear on the second form roller meshing with a driving gear therefor and out .of contact with an -gear ontne distributing roller which supplies the normal friction-driven form roller, the said holding means comprising a pair of "pivotally mounted brackets on the frame normally idle but ,each adapted to be swung and then coact with the newly positioned bearings and shartana hold' the same in such new position; Y

21. The combination of a printing drum adapted to carry a printing plate, an inking system therefor having two form rolls adapted to contact the plate and a distributor roll adapted to engage both form rolls for feeding ink thereto while the form rolls are frictionally driven, one of said form rolls being removably mounted, means for carrying a gear-driven form roll in active position with reference to the printing drum and in place of said removably mounted form roll and in a position different therefrom, and means for holding the retained frictional driven form roll in an inactive position relative to the printing drum without disturbing the active position of the substitute roll.

22. The combination of a plate cylinder, a form roll, a pair of pivoted brackets to removably support the form roll, a distributor roll, gearing connecting said distributor roll with the plate cylinder, means to move said brackets to move the form roll to a position in contact with the plate and distributor roll and to another position out of contact with the plate and distributor roll, said brackets being adapted to support a gear driven form roll, in place of said first named form roll, means to hold a gear driven roll and said brackets in a new position wherein a gear driven roll may contact with the plate and with a substitute ink supply roll while out of contact with said distributor roll.

23. In a printing machine, the combination of a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, a gear on the drum having a pitch circle corresponding to the periphery of the plate, an inking system for the plate comprising a form roll adapted to engage the plate and be frictionally driven, a distributor roll adapted to engage the form roll, said distributor roll having a gear with its pitch circle corresponding to the periphery of the distributor roll, said gear on the distributor roll being connected by intermediate idler gearing with the gear on the drum, a pair of movably mounted brackets, means to hold said brackets in one position, a frictionally driven form roller removably mounted in said brackets in said position, said brackets being adapted to support a gear-driven form roll in place of the frictionally-driven form roll, holding means independent from the first named means to hold the gear-driven roll and said brackets in another position with a gear on the gear-driven roll meshing with the gear on the drum and clearing the gear on the distributor roll and with the gear-driven roll in engagement with the plate and out of engagement with the distributor roll.

24. In a printing machine, a plate cylinder, a pair of movable brackets, a shaft mounted in said brackets and adapted to carry an inking roll, means acting on the brackets to hold them in either of two positions in one of which the roll carried thereby is in contact with the plate cylinder and in the other out of contact there- 12 shaft and. brackets in an intermediate position with the roll out of contact with the plate cylin-v der.-

26. In a printing machine, a frame having a plate cylinder mounted therein, a pair of brackets pivoted to said frame, a shaft mounted, in said brackets, a form .roll carried by the shaft-said brackets being. swingable about their pivots to move the roll from a position in contact with one portion of the cylinder into another position in contact with another portion of the cylinder, the pivot ofsaid brackets being disposed intermediate theaxis of the roll and the axis of the cylinder whereby movement of the roll away from either contact position causes the roll to first move out of contact with the cylinder, means to hold the roll in one contact position means to hold the roll, in. another contact position, and means to holdthe roll in an intermediate, position out of contact .withthe cylinder.

. 27. .Inaprinting machine, the combination of a plate cylinder, a pair of aligned brackets movably mounted, aremovable shaft adapted to be mounted insaid brackets and carry a form roll, means for holding the brackets and shaft ineither of,two positionawhereby the form roll-may be caused to engage a plate on said cylinder or be free therefrom respectively, and means adapted to;ho1d the brackets and shaft in a third position, whereby a form roll on the shaft may be caused to coact with the plate on the cylinder.

28. Ina printing machine, the combination of a plate cylinder, 2. pair of aligned brackets movably'mounted, a removable shaft adapted to be mounteclin said brackets and carry a form roll between the brackets, means engaging the bracketsfor holding them in either of two positions, whereby theform roll may be caused to engage a plate on said cylinder or be free therefrom respectively, and means adapted to engage the shaft and hold it and the brackets in athird position, whereby a form roll on the shaft may be caused to coact with the plate on the cylinder.

29. A printing machinehaving a rotary drum adapted to carry a printing plate, a normal inking system therefor including a friction-driven form roll adapted to coact with the plate and with means for supplying ink to said roll, mechanism for removably supporting said friction-driven form roll, means for rendering the normal ink supply mechanism inactive, and means for carrying a gear-driven form roll in the same support ing mechanism in place of the friction-driven form roll but in a position different therefrom and where it may contact with the printing plate while put of contact with the normal inking system and where it may be supplied with ink independently of the normal inking system.

EDWARD J. JANKE,

.pair of pivoted brackets, a shaft mounted in said and brackets in another position with the roll in contact with the cylinder, and means to hold the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 917,037 Ford Apr. 6, 1909 

